The State
The iz’kal are organised around a concept called the State. The State is the organisational structure and system of governance of the iz’kal society in which all citizens, called technocrats, take part as the administrators of the State based on their expertise and hard data. The State works as a moneyless and ownerless organisation. Instead, it uses a fluid system that takes into consideration the labour force, the production capacity, and the reserves of resources of the colony, and manages these parameters to figure out how to run the colony with basic sustainability principles and technical capacities in mind, obtaining the most efficient lasting results. Iz’kal people spend their whole lives working at the job that best suits them, regardless of their personal interest in it, although personal interest usually implies better results and the iz’kal are generally very satisfied with their roles. After all, they see themselves as an extension of the society as a whole and are willing to sacrifice their personal agendas for the good of all. On the other hand, the majority of iz’kal only work in the scientific, technological, sociological, or entertainment fields, as most of the physical labour is performed by machines. Most iz’kal are therefore poets, writers, scientists, musicians, engineers, dancers, actors, philosophers, etc. All of their work is shared freely, to be used, manipulated, improved, and elevated by all others. There are no boss-employee relationships, nor leader and follower, as everything is collaborative. Despite that, social pressure is strong and if the majority within one’s department asks them to perform a certain task, they are obligated to perform it, putting aside their personal needs. Of course, strong laws defending personal dignity and life are in place to avoid abuse of individuals by the group, which seems to be the largest problem in iz’kal society. The State is based on public interaction and collaborative design, facilitated by open-access systems, open feedback programs, a high mobile labour force, and primary and secondary sectors based almost entirely on automated machinery. Technocracy Technocrats can put forward new motions to resolve existing problems or improve old systems. To do so, they must follow the scientific method approach. The proposals are presented anonymously and are reviewed by groups of experts. When these proposals have been deemed viable at the technical level, they are distributed among the departments that might be affected by the changes proposed. The technocrats of these fields take into consideration how it would affect their work, and how their own field could improve the motion. These critiques or offers for collaboration are again distributed. The team that originated the idea takes them into consideration and works upon them. They are usually joined by teams of other departments to create a multidisciplinary motion. Once these improved motions have taken into consideration their implications at all levels, and the availability of the resources and labour needed to implement them, they are compared with other alternatives and the most effective one is applied. All motions are at all times open source and accessible through the State’s main system, Idealab. This means that any other technocrat can build his own motion upon it or perhaps request that the team already working on it takes into consideration some variable or idea the technocrat has come up with. As there is a direct link between the citizens and the production of goods without an exchange in between (as in monetary systems) or possible personal gain, all new policy considerations are based on their utility and there is no market resistance to new products that might put old products out of business, nor planned obsolescence. Police For many years there has not been a police force in iz’kal society. Crime is extremely rare, and is even uncommon in ’kal fiction. In a society as empathically connected as the Iz’kal, people are always aware of the feelings of those around them and most problems can be tended to before they affect society. Still, there is no such thing as a perfect society and certain individuals do perform minor crimes, such as people taking things outside of their usage rights. These crimes are reported by other technocrats as soon as they become aware of the crime. The ‘criminal’ must appear before a commission whose job is to figure out the cause of his behaviour. Criminals are treated as mental patients who require re-education and there are many social workers whose job is to figure out a way to improve the criminal’s life (socially rather than economically) to the usual levels of other technocrats, ultimately restoring that person to society. This is usually done by psychoanalysing the criminals, and having them enter hyperlink with people that can connect with them and help them improve. More serious crimes are usually due to strong mental illnesses that cannot be treated by social workers. Neuroscience is making big advancements in these areas, and most of the patients affected by mental illnesses can now be treated and restored to a normal brain function. Those so out of touch with society that they are irrecoverable are eventually turned into voidwalkers, and many of them end up joining the Savak. The Savak The Savak is composed of voidwalkers, iz’kal who have lost their ability to enter hyperlink and who have undergone an important physical and mental transformation. Those that so choose are trained under one of the most rigid and demanding military systems in the Universe. They are given a single purpose in life: to defend the State. Although many fear their rigid moral code and lack of empathy, most iz’kal accept and agree that this is the best life for those that have lost their purpose. The risk of these soldiers abusing their power is there, but no one else is willing to fight the wars that the State must fight for the survival of all. Category:Iz'kal